Pensions - Articles - Two pension trustees plead guilty to illegal loans

 Company director Andrew Kyprianou, 60, of Glebe Avenue, Enfield, Middlesex and Colin Werb, 71, of The Birches, Grimsgate, Diseworth, Derby both admitted two counts of making prohibited employer-related investments at Leeds Crown Court today (Wednesday 17 August).

 Werb and Kyprianou had also been charged with providing false or misleading information to TPR contrary to section 80 of the Pensions Act 2004. TPR had alleged that the pair, employees of Eastman Staples Limited — one of Huddersfield’s oldest and largest suppliers to the textile industry — fabricated minutes of trustee meetings to disguise the loans as investments. These charges will lie on file.

 The pair initially pleaded not guilty to all charges.

 Illegal loans
 The court heard how between 2017 and 2018 Kyprianou and Werb unlawfully paid £236,000 from Eastman Machine Company Limited Superannuation Scheme in the form of two loans to Eastman Staples Limited, contrary to section 40(5) of the Pensions Act 1995.

 The first loan was for £96,000 in 2017 and a second, for £140,000, was paid out in March 2018.

 Both defendants were replaced by TPR as trustees of the pension scheme in December 2020 by independent professional trustees, Pi Consulting Trustee Services.

 The pair were released on bail to appear before Leeds Crown Court for sentencing on 7 October.